Two part container construction



NOV. 16, 1937. E, T, FERNGREN 2,099,057

TWO PART CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Dec. 3, 1930 suv m [N VENTOR Patented Nov. 16, 1 937 UNITED STATES 'rwo PART comma CONSTRUCTIONEnoch '1. Ferngren,

Jackson Helghts, Long Island, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, toPia: Corporation, Hartford, Conn, a corporation of Delaware Originalapplication December a, 1930, Serial No. 499,771. Divided and thisapplication August 20, 1932, Serial No. 629,695. Renewed April 8,

16 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in containers usable for manypurposes and of the kind which are formed in separate parts, thenshipped preferably in nested packages and assembled a the point of use.

The invention also relates to containers produced from transparentplastic materials, which are reinforced by ribbings and formed completewith finished brim edge.

The invention more specifically relates to improvements in two-partbottles of the kind which may have walls of soft, collapsible nature andbe readily collapsed or destroyed after using, but which are stillstrong enough for use as serviceable containers for carbonated water andlike beverages. However, many other types and shapes of two-part bottlesand jars, receptacles and other containers may be constructed of thesame material or in the same way as the bottle herein disclosed. Thisinvention principally relates to the dip-forming of the above mentionedcontainers from liquid plastic materials suchas solutions of celluloseacetate, nitro-cellulose and other cellulose derivatives. Other plasticcompounds may be formed by the addition of difierent condensationproducts to cellulose deriva-' tives. Such compounds may be renderedfluid by heat or by heat and solvents in combination. The mainrequirement is that the material selected be capable of forming clear,transparent films, or in some cases translucent and opaque films ondipping tools or within molding elements, which when solidified byremoval of volatile ingredients or by other suitable treatment, willleave a hollow shell of the receptacle structure as herein shown, whichmay then be removed from the forming implement. Even paper and fibre mayenter into the construction of these containers for certain purposes, inwhich case the fibre structure is intimately embedded and held by theplastic material. Among the objects of the present invention are toprovide a relatively soft or collapsible bottle having a desired degreeof rigidity in its upper portion. For this purpose, the upper portion ofthe bottle may be suitably formed from paper plastics or other types ofplastic compositions. When paper plastics are used, this portion of thebottle may be suitably embossed or printed with labels or advertisingmatter. However, in most instances, suificient rigidity may be impartedto this portion of the bottle by making it of cellulose plasticmaterials, which also may be decorated, colored, labeled or embossed atthe time of manufacture or thereafter. Such materials may be consideredpreferable to paper plastics because pressure greatly assists in makingthe container exceedingly rigid when in use.

Another object of the invention is to create and provide a bottle asabove outlined, which will be suitable for only one use, or one filling,and which will be so cheap as compared to glass bottles, both from thestandpoint of its initial cost and the cost of shipping and handling,that the manufacturers and the users or bottlers will be greatlybenefited. In this connection, it is also the intention of providing abottle which will be inherently sterile and clean, having nodisagreeable odor or any odor that will contaminate contained foodproducts, thus eliminating the expenses associated with the handling ofglass bottles, their recovery, cleaning and sterilization.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a bottle of cellulosederivative or other material, which will be less liable to breakage thanglass bottles of present day use.

With relation to making up the type of bottle herein shown from twoseparate parts, which the bottlers or users are to unite, the inventionprovides a simple method of sealing the parts as will hereinafter bemore clearly brought out.

In the handling of plastic material by the process of manufacture hereindisclosed it is an object of the invention to so act on a plastic filmwall when volatile solvents are present therein as to cause a rapidremoval of solvents therefrom.

The invention relates to the forming of bottle bodies or other hollowarticles by a single coating of a molding implement by the plasticsolution, to thereby form a flexible wall of shell-like appearance,which may be a few thousandths of an inch thick, and which is renderedstrong, stiff and serviceable by reinforcements, ribbings or otherwisestrengthened or thickened portions.

A specific object of the invention is to form the containers withcurved, fluted or ribbed wall portions at top, bottom and mediansections so as to avoid unnecessary thickness of wall or the excessiveuse of plastic material therein.

In this connection with relation to procedure during the dip-forming ofthe bottom wall portion of the bottle, vacuum action is communicatedfrom within the dipping tool or molding element to the bottom cavity ofthe dipping tool upon the surface of which the plastic material is beingdeposited, such cavity having rib-forming recesses extending therefrominto which the liquid plastic material or dope is impelled by the vacuumaction. As the solvents (if such be used) are driven from the plasticmaterial held in these grooves, or such material is otherwisesolidified, there will be formed rib walls which are integral with, butextend at right angles from, the bottom film wall of the container whichis produced from the coating on the dipping tool. These ribs will act tobuttress and strengthen the adjacent wall portion of the bottom of thecontainer and will prevent distending or outward bulging when the bottleis loaded or under internal pressure. This type of ribbing will also beserviceable at other points of the bottle and considerably increase therigidity factor.

Another object resides in forming a strengthening rib or seam around thewidest portion oi the bottle, or at a point where the two parts areunited, the material being such that the separate parts may be firmlywelded together by heat and pressure or by the use of a waterproofadhesive alone or in combination with a rolling and folding overmovement, by mechanisms suited therefor.

This strengthening rib is formed by uniting the flanges provided at theadjoining ends of the separate bottle portions, and as located preventsthe collapse of the bottle from such pressure as may be incidental tohandling or packing, and also provides a ridge by which the bottle can.be supported during charging and capping operations. The particularrelationships of the tapering portions of the wall, both of the top andbottom portions of the bottle forms an exceedingly strongv structuralunit able to withstandsuch pressures as are incidental to filling andcapping opera tions, particularly when the bottle is supported from thestrengthening rib.

With relation to the forming of a strong and finished lip wall at themouth of a bottle by a dip-forming operation, it is an object of thisinvention to establish local control over the movement of the liquidplastic material used at the point of deepest submersion of a formingtool therein by means of variation in fluid pressure, and thereby togovern the flow of the liquid plastic material to create successivealternate advancing and receding movement in the liquid plastic materialfor depositing successive coatings at the lip, mouth or neck formingfaces of the forming element so as locally to increase the strength andthickness at this point of a container.

This sort of treatment is very useful in-the forming of rubber articlesfrom latex as this material may be vulcanized in part while beingdeposited on the forming tool, each successive coating blending with thepreceding one to build up a heavier deposit.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No.499,771, filed Dec. 3, 1930.

Other and more specific objects 01' the present invention will becomeapparent from the following specification and appended claims when takenin connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which tion of a container, the implement being shown in submergedposition;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation with parts broken away and in verticalsection of a dipping implement or forming tool for the lower portion ofa container, the implement also being shown in submerged position;

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section of the flnished plastic shell whichforms the upper part of a container;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the cup-like body which may form the lowerpart of a container;

Fig. 5 is a composite view substantially in vertical sectionillustrating the method of joining the upper and lower parts of acontainer, the left half of the figure showing the flanges about to becompacted together and theright hall, the flanges substantiallycompletely compacted together;

Fig. 6 is a view in central vertical section of the completed bottle orcontainer after the parts thereof have been joined together;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in central vertica section showing the neckportion of a bottle as of the type herein disclosed and a cap suitablefor use therewith; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale and in verticalsection showing the flange of the cup-like lower portion of thecontainer.

In the operation of making a container by dipforming operations, aforming tool 8 is submerged in a liquid plastic material 9, as indicatedin Fig. 1. It is desirable that a plurality of such tools he provided,which may be dipped simultaneously, all the tools, however, beingindependent of one another while being moved, dipped, elevated, turnedor rotated in a similar fashion.

It is also advantageous that the particular liquid plastic material,dope solution or'sol used be so handled that it may be raised andlowered relative to the dipping tools, although other movements may beutilized to simplify the dipping mechanism and its operation. None ofthe mechanism for operating the tools are shown herein as they are notclaimed herein and form no part of the present invention.

The dipping tool 8 is provided with a central tubular passage III, whichcommunicates with a cavity II at the bottom. of the tool. This passage|0 serves to conduct air under pressure to the cavity II at the time thetool is submerged in the liquid plastic material H, the purpose being tokeep the liquid plastic material or dope from rising above a certainpredetermined point inside of the cavity. The pressure of air within thetube l0 and the cavity ll may be varied to cause the plastic material torise upwardly therein or to recede outwardly therefrom. If the pressureof the air be alternately varied to cause an alternate rising andfalling of the liquid levelin the cavity II, the outer curvature l3 ofthe tool may be caused to receive several successive coatings during theperiod of submersion of the molding implement. By this arrangement andprocedure the curved wall 22 of the mouth of the bottle may be madeslightly increasedin thickness and stability as the successive exposuresto air operate to release solvents (if such be used) from the plasticmaterial or will tend to coagulate the same if the liquid'plastic mate-'rial be of the heated or'thermo-plastic variety.

The shell 8 may be heated or cooled by the movement of air or liquidtemperature controlling media through passages and I5, which are formedbetween an outer shell l6 and an inner she l I! of the dipping tool,thus enabling accurate control of the heating or the cooling of theplastic material. This arrangement also permits of quick expansion andcontraction of the shell i6 during the green period of the film. If theshell be expanded by gradual elevation of temperature during theshrinking period of the film thereon and then quickly contracted bycooling, the film coating thereon may be readily removed.

An implement or dipping tool I8, shown in Fig. 2, is used for formingthe lower portion of the bottle and is constructed in a slightlydifferent fashion. This dipping tool is provided with a central passageIQ for exhausting air from a bottom cavity 20 through fine bores 2| andthe recesses or grooves 23, the operation being to evacuatesubstantially all the air in this lower cavity through the passage I9,which communicates with a suitable air exhausting device (not shown),thus causing the plastic material I2 to rise and completely flll thecavity and the recesses extending therefrom into the tool body. Theplastic material is of such density'as to seal the capillary openings 2|when advancing thereto.

The portion of the liquid plastic material which enters the recesses 23will -form ribs 26 at the bottom portion of the bottle structure asshown in Figures 4 and 6, these ribs extending at. right angles to thebottom surface of the bottle, which conforms to the outline of thecavity 20.

The dipping tool I8 is submerged in the liquid plastic material H, asindicated in Fig. 2, the entire side wall of the tool being in intimatecontact with the hquid. The upper brim 29 of the lower bottle portion isformed in an annular cavity 24 at the upper end of the tool i8, whichcavity communicates through passages 25 and a passage 21 with an airexhausting device (not shown).

As the dipping tool I8 approaches the surface 28 of the liquid plasticmaterial l2, the vacuum established as aforesaid will cause the liquidplastic material to rise, enter and fill the annular cavity 24, theviscosity of the liquid plastic material promoting a relativelythickened coating at this point, as shown at M in Fig. 8.

As the forming tool I8 is withdrawn from the liquid plastic material l2,it is tilted at an angle and rotated until the plastic material is uni-:formly distributed thereon, during and after which period the film maybesolidified by the evaporation of solvents or other treatmentappropriate to the particular plastic composition employed.

During and after submersion, the tool l8 may be chilled or heated by thecirculation of air or other temperature controlling media throughpassages 30 and 3| therein, by which procedure the evaporation of thesolvents or other solidification of the plastic film on the tool may beaided or retarded, as may be required.

At the time of releasing the film cup 32 from the dipping tool l8, thetool may be chilled while heated air may be introduced between the tooland the film through passages 2i and 25 to the cavities 20 and 24respectively, thus releasing the entire cup from the forming tool i8.

After the plastic articles thus formed have been properly dried and freefrom any odors, they may be nested for shipment to the respectiveconsumers, thus occupying a minimum of space for a container of thiskind, thereby greatly reducing freight costs.

The part 32 may be used as a drinking cup. the upper brim 29 thereofadding stability to its open end and body structure.

When the upper and lower bottle portions are assembled at point of use,an arrangement such as shown in Figure 5 may be used. A supportingmember 33 holds a flange portion 34 of the upper bottle portion 35,while the lower bottle portion 32 is inserted thereinto and rollers 36,which may be heated, are operated along the brim edges to fold the sametogether into a complete cohesive annular rib or flange.

The angle rim or flange 34 forms a recess into which the flange or brim29 of the cup-like por-' tion 32 is seated in the joining of the twoportions of the bottle. These portions may be joined in any suitableway, if desired, including the use of a sealing dope or adhesive, but Iprefer to follow the method shown generally in Fig. 5. In thisconnection, it may be advantageous to permit one or both of theseflanges to retain a degree of greenness" or a greater proportion of thesolvent (if such be used), as this aids in sealing the flanges together.I further contemplate that the rims or flanges may be connected Itogether by fusing, welding or coalescing the parts into an integral orhomogeneous body by means of heat and pressure when the plastic materialused is of such character as to permit of this action.

The construction formed by uniting two conical wall sections or parts attheir wider ends by circumferential flanges makes for a maximum ofstrength and is of practical value in producing pliant, flexible orthin-walled containers.

The article thus formed will be of exceedingly light weight and isstrongly constructed for its intended uses and purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A bottle comprising upper and lower conical shaped portions made ofthin flexible organic material, the two parts having their larger endsjoined together by overlapping portions having depressions andinterlocking parts composed of the thin organic material to stifien theflexible thin portions and to facilitate handling.

2. A bottle made of two seamless, upper and lower, substantiallyconical-shaped, thin portions of flexible organic material, the two'parts being united by interlocking folds to stiffen the thin flexibleorganic material near the middle of the bottle, the material of thebottle mouth being turned over to stifien the mouth of the bottle andthe bottom of the bottle having stiffening means, whereby the bottle isflexible except at 1 the bottom, middle and mouth.

3. A bottle in two parts, each part comprising a thin flexibletransparent body portion of organic material, the bottom portion havingan outwardly extending flange and the top portion a flange abutting theflange on the bottom portion, the two flanges being rolled over tointerlock the bottom part to the top part of the bottle and to stiflenthe flexible bottle at its middle portion.

4. A narrow neck bottle formed in separately nestable hollow parts,comprising an upper body unit integral with a narrow neck formation, anda lower body unit integral with a concave bottom, each such part havinga flange wall extension for coupling of the parts, the flange wallextension of one part having an additional portion constructedand-arranged to be folded to include the flange of the other part,

5. A nestable bottle structure, comprising separate upper and lower onepiece hollow seamless bottle sections, atleast one of which is formed ofa material which can be re-shaped under heat and pressure, each bottlesection having integral structural braces for reducing flexing duringhandling and subsequent use, the lower end wall of the upper sectionbeing shaped to be structurally united to the upper end wall 01' thelower section during assembly of the bottle structure by folding itunder heat and pressure to enclose and interlock the upper end of thelower section.

6. A bottle produced by uniting an open ended upper bottle portion offlexible wall structure and arched and tapered body shape with a lowersubstantially frusto-conical bottle portion of flexible wall structure,said portions having outward turned flanges at their larger open endsfor attachment to one another, said flanges when united forming a solidgirder around the exterior wall from which the bottle may be supportedduring filling and capping.

7. A container formed in separately nestable' upper and separatelynestable lower, onepiece, hollow, molded sections, the upper sectionhaving a lip wall at its upper end for interlockingly engaging a closureor stopper, the lower section having a bottom with ribs moldedintegrally therewith, and the adjacent ends of the sections havingflanges which abut each other and which may be interlockingly united byheating and overlapping one flange portion against the other.

8. A container structure comprising seamless upper and lower hollow bodystructures which may be interlockingly united, each of said structuresbeing provided with a marginal flange by which they may be interlocked,the material comprising said flanges being foldable under externallyapplied heat and pressure to form a fluidtight joint on the outer sideof the container. I I 9. A receptacle formed of a transparent plasticmaterial and having side walls which are flexible and fabricated inseparate upper and lower seamless sections which are joined together,said sections being formed with wall extensions arranged at right anglesto one another at their adjoinable ends, said wall extensions beingadapted to be interlocked together by a suitable adhesive to form asolid rim, said rim forming a strengthening support on the outside wallof the receptacle to resist flexing and serving as a ledge from whichthe receptacle and-the material placed therein may be supported.

10. A container structure for shipment in knock-down form, comprisingseparate top and base portions having flanges adapted for interlockingone portion to the other, one of the portions having a flange which maybe compressed to envelop the flange of the other portion, the materialof the flanges being such that the adjoining faces of said flanges areadhesively merged when heated and pressed during assembling at the pointof use.

11. A nestable container made in two parts which are adapted to bejoined together, each part being of a relatively non-rigid wallstructure and which may be shipped in-packages oi nested parts to beassembled at the point or use, said container being formed in separateupper and lower seamless hollow body portions of tapering form, the bodywall at the larger open end or each hollow portion being shaped into aflange, said flanges serving to impart rigidity to the hollow portionsand to facilitate separation of each portion from its nested position,the flanges constituting means on the exterior of the container body forjoining the separate portions and for reinforcing the wall structures ofboth the upper and lower portions. v

1 12. A plural part container structure, the parts of which areconstructed and arranged to be assembled into a single container atpoint of use, formed in separate upper and lower hollow parts havingflangewalls which project outward of the body walls proper oi the hollowparts, one of said flange walls having a side wall at right anglethereto forming a recess into which the flange wall of the other partmay be seated, the flange wall of said other part being formed of amaterial which will coalesce with the material of the recessed flangewall under the influence of heat and pressure.

13. A container structure consisting of a hollow top made in one piecewith open ends and a hollow seamless base portion having a bottomintegral therewith, the base portion having a lateral flange ofincreased body thickness and the top body having a recessed flange intowhich the flange of the base may be seated, the flange of the baseportion containing a solvent media for assisting in obtaining coalesencethereof with said recessed flange by means of heat and pressure, boththe base and the top being of tapered form and largest at their flangedends, thereby enabling separate nesting of a plurality of tops and basesrespectively and their reception in knocked-down form at point of use.

14. A drinking cup having side walls of thin, flexible and transparentcellulose derivative materlal,'said cup having an integral invertedbottom provided with supplemental web-parts forming a cross-tie of ribwalls running at right angles to each other and diametrically of thebottom of the cup, said rib walls being integral with the said bottom.

15. A container having side walls of thin, transparent, flexible andwater-proof material, a raised bottom for the container integral withthe side walls having a downwardly curving marginal portion joining saidside walls, said bottom having radially disposed web-walls integrallyjoined to the said bottom and with one another to impart structuralrigidity.

16. A two part container structure formed from a composition comprisingcellulose acetate and a solvent therefor, said parts having cooperatingperipheral flanges by which they may be united, at least one of saidflanges having a thickness greater than that of the wall structure ofthe corresponding part and containing a substantial amount of solvent toassist in the uniting and coalescing of said flanges by the applicationof heat and pressure.

ENOCH T. FERNGREN.

